Urban and Regional Planning in the Amazon: An Analysis of the Scientific Production of PPGDAS/UNIFAP
PPGDAS; PLURD; thematic categories; Amazon
The objective of this research is to analyze the theses from the Graduate Program in Sustainable Amazon Development (PPGDAS), considering the thematic categories of the Urban and Regional Planning and Demography (PLURD) field. The following hypotheses are proposed: (i) the predominant thematic categories in the PLURD theses are aligned with regional development; (ii) the PPGDAS theses present a diversity of themes, both aligned and not aligned with the PLURD field; and (iii) the PPGDAS has evolved in regional/local circumstances of difficulty and inequality in Brazilian postgraduate education, distancing from and approaching the thematic categories of the PLURD field. The methodology follows a mixed approach, structured in three stages, each aligned with a specific objective and the proposed hypotheses. Initially, the main thematic categories present in 5,161 theses from the PLURD field (2013–2023) will be characterized using bibliometrics as a method. Then, 211 theses from the PPGDAS will be analyzed, exploring recurring themes based on Bardin's content analysis. Finally, semi-structured interviews with former coordinators and faculty members of the program will be conducted to understand the evolution of PPGDAS in relation to recurring thematic categories. Data collection will be carried out using the CAPES Thesis and Dissertation Catalog platform and the PPGDAS institutional repository. It is expected that the results will contribute to (re)orienting the strategic planning and restructuring of the program, promoting its strengthening and greater academic excellence.